Wynne Gray's 50 greatest rugby moments: No.14

South Africa celebrate as New Zealand All Blacks look dejected.

Getting to sleep in Johannesburg on the night of June 24, 1995, was impossible.

The city was celebrating and as much as the All Blacks and their supporters were downcast at their 15-12 extra-time defeat and revelations about food poisoning, they also wanted to watch history unfold.

It was an extraordinary week leading to a try-less but pulsating World Cup final which ebbed and flowed through 120 minutes of tension.

The All Blacks were favoured for their vibrant patterns and Jonah Lomu's menace but the Springboks had begun to believe they could piggyback the national fervour and create history.

They'd broken the Wallabies in their opening game as coach Kitch Christie and captain Francois Pienaar began to mould the side and draw together the factions which punctured rugby in the Republic. Uninspiring wins against Romania and Canada followed before they saw off the physical challenge from Samoa and then defied the delayed start and monsoon conditions at Durban and a late French charge for the line to graduate to the final.

After a week of extraordinary hype including ideas of a tackle bounty on Lomu, the Springboks arrived at Ellis Park with a new conviction about their destiny while unbeknown to all but a few, the All Blacks were struggling to recover from sickness.

As the tender strains of the black workers' song Shosholoza filled the festivities, a South African jumbo jet with Go Bokke written on its under-carriage filled the airspace above the arena in two low-level passes.

Anxiety about a possible terrorist attack gave way to animated chatter as 62,500 spectators waited in the warm afternoon sunshine.

When South African President Nelson Mandela arrived in a Springbok No 6 jersey given to him by Pienaar, the crowd responded with "Nelson, Nelson, Nelson" chants as he waved the cap he'd been given by Hennie Le Roux.

Referee Ed Morrison started the final which was not decided until the 112th minute when five-eighths Joel Stransky dropkicked his second goal. The crowd and Morrison were united in confirmation about the kick and the Boks were pressing the All Black line again when Morrison blew the whistle for the final time and signalled the start of party central in Johannesburg.